November 3, 2021

The long-delayed autumn temperatures – Youngkin’s victory – Evening statistics

I awoke to find that it had frosted overnight:  the first frost of the year, and the latest first frost of any year that I have seen.  And I have lived in the area since 1960, with only one absence in the autumn of 1966, when our family was living in Denmark.  If my observation is correct, last night represents the latest frost in over 60 years at least.  The day as well was a brisk autumn day, though sunny and clear.  Ordinarily such days appear in the two preceding months as well, but in both September and October this year the days were all well over 50 degrees. 

Youngkin has won the election.  McAuliffe conceded to him this morning.  To an extent this result represents a tradition in Virginia gubernatorial elections: the winning candidate has generally been from the party opposite of the occupant of the White House.  Anti-Biden sentiment was definitely a factor.  Only about one-fifth of voters said that they view their vote as a way to express support for Biden, while nearly 3 in 10 said that it was their way of expressing opposition.  Virginia has a tendency to impose moderation on its governors, so there is hope that Youngkin is not, as McAuliffe tried to portray him, a Trump in miniature.  His lieutenant governor is Winsome Sears, the first woman to serve Virginia in that office for all of the commonwealth’s 400-year history, to say nothing of her being the first woman of color to do so – which is certainly an encouraging sign.  I still would have preferred McAuliffe; but while I regret Youngkin’s victory, I cannot look upon it as a catastrophe – not yet, at any rate. 

Today’s statistics as of 8:00 PM – # of cases worldwide: 248,769,773; # of deaths worldwide: 5,036,137; # of cases U.S.: 47,090,416; # of deaths; U.S.: 770,671.